Oil burner



w. w. HALLINAN 3 OIL BURNER Sept. 8, 1936.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1951 INVENTOR v MY/iam MHmlllm/z A TORNEY Sept. 8, 1936. w. w. I- IALLlNAN OIL BURNER Filed Dec. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z,,IIII

IIIIIII/ "lllllll ziiinrlll A TTORNE Y Patented Sept. 8, 1936 OIL BURNER William W. Hallinan, Seattle, Wash, assignor to Skinner & Orr Engineering Company, Seattle, Wash, a corporation of Washington Application December 14, 1931, Serial No. 581,019

Claims. (01. 158-l.5)

This invention relates to oil burners, and it has reference particularly to devices of that character known as automatic oil burners and now extensively used in building and residence heating,

5 and wherein the fuel oil supplied thereto is forcibly discharged from an atomizing nozzle just within or adjacent to the discharge end of an air blast tube whereby the atomized fuel is spread and thoroughly and effectively mixed with the air on entering the combustion chamber.

Heretofore, various devices have been utilized for eflecting the delivery of a whirling blast of air from the blast tube, as this has been found to be very desirable both from the standpoint of atomization and mixing of fuel with the air and also as an aid to combustion. Where such a delivery oif air is used, devices have been employed for the purpose of controlling the spread of the air blast as it leaves the tube outlet, but as a general rule there have been objectionable features, either by reason of bulkiness in construction, ineiiiciency,

or inaccessability for easy adjustment. Therefore, it hasbeen the principal object of this invention to provide an improved form of air blast tube for use with oil burners of this character, whereby a desired whirling blast of air may be readily obtained; whereby the spread of the conical blast from the end of the tube may be regulated to a very definite degree easily and readily;

and whereby the delivery of fuel mixture maybe so directed as to insure complete combustion within the entire fire box area.

It is also an object of the invention to construct an improved form of air blast tube of symmetrical design capable of being centrally located in the ordinary furnace fire box without necessittating altering the doorway or entrance to the box and without necessitating any unbalanced or unsymmetrical construction of the blast tube.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of an air blast tube designed for delivering an axial blast of air, with means in the tube'for diverting part'of the blast 4 into lateral ducts in which deflectors are placed for setting up a whirling action thereby to pro-' in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these objects, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the ac- 5 companying drawings, .wherein Fig. 1 is a plan, or top view of an oil burner embodying the present invention; the air blast tube being shown in horizontal section to better illustrate its interior construction. 10

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the burner, showing the air blast tube in vertical section.

' Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. e is a cross section taken on lined-d in 15 Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the air blast tube with part brokenaway and showing the position of the deflectors for inducing the whirling action or the air, also showing the recessed nozzle 20 flange.

Referring more in detail to the several views of the drawings- The burner mechanism, as here illustrated, is supported on a base member 6 by a standard 2. 25 The mechanism proper comprises a fan or blower housing 3 of convolute form having a side air inlet opening, as at 3, and terminating in a delivery spout 5 connected with a blast tube (.5. Within the housing 3 is a ran wheel l on an axle 30 t which is an extension of or is connected to the drive shaft of an electric motor ii supported from the side of the housing opposite the inlet opening 3. The operation of the fan by the motor is such Y that it draws in air at the open side d of the 35 housing and forcibly discharges it from the spout 5 into the blast tube 5, which will presently be described in detail.

Associated with the burner mechanism is an oil feed and control system comprising a supply 40 pipe H) which connects through a fitting II with a strainer l2. From the strainer the oil is drawn through a pipe l3 to a pump lfl by which it is forcibly delivered through a pipe E5 to a feed regulating valve mechanism, as at iii, to a pipe I! which extends axially of the blast tube and has at its end an atomizer head or nozzle l8 whereby the oil is forcibly discharged in a conical spray from the end of the blast tube. The pump M, in this instance, is driven by direct connection with the fan driving shaft 8.

Also associated with the burner mechanism is an ignition system comprising a transformer, designated at 20, to be supplied by the usual house lighting circuit. The terminals of the secondary coil of the transformer are connected by wires 2| and 22 with electrodes 23 and 24 in the form of rods of copper or other suitable material which extend along the oil tube [1 and terminate in inwardly curved end portions adjacent the nozzle tip. These end portions are so spaced apart that a spark created by the action of the transformer will be caused to jump across the intervening gap between their ends to ignite the spray of oil from the nozzle l8. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2 these electrodes are encased in insulators 25 of porcelain or the like and are supported by a bracket 26 fixed to pipe 11 within the blast tube.

The novelty of this invention resides in the construction of the air blast tube 6 and its relationship to the parts therein. It consists of a relatively short cylindrical inner end portion 36 and a body portion 34 with which the neck is integrally formed. At its outer end the neck is formed with a peripheral flange 3| through which bolts 32 extend to attach the tube to the fan housing spout 5. The enlarged body portion 34, at the end opposite the neck, has a nozzle like extension 35 coaxially of the tube and formed with a conically tapered tip 36 forming are stricted opening 31; the atomizing nozzle l3 be ing just within this opening, as seen in Fig. 1.

The enlarged body portion 34 of this blast tube is symmetrical with respect to the central axis and to the parts 30 and 35. In vertical cross section, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, the enlargement is substantially the same diameter as the portion 30, but in horizontal cross section it is wider, thereby giving thebody an oval form in cross section. About midway between the ends of the enlarged portion of the tube are transversely directed deflectors 36 and 36'. These are located in the same vertical plane at opposite sides of the housing with the deflector 36 extending upwardly from the bottom wall while the deflector 36 ex tends downwardly from the top wall; each deflector having a width which is about one-fourth the distance vertically across the tube. Forwardly of these deflectors 3636' about half the distance to the outer end of the tube, are similarly arranged deflectors 31-31 transversely alined and extending from opposite sides of the tube about half way across the vertical depth of the tube. At their inner ends, the two sets of deflectors are rounded off as at 38 in Fig. 4, so as to provide a clear or open cylindrical passageway axially through-the tube, and directly from the inner end portion 30 to the nozzle 35.

I have also provided deflectors 40 and 40 extending lengthwise of the tube from the plane of the deflectors 36-36 to the forward end of the tube. By reference to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the deflector 40 extends about one side of the cylindrical passageway in a downwardly curved direction from the top of the tube to a distance approximately one-half way across the tube. likewise, the deflector 40' extends about the other side of the passageway from the bottom of the tube upwardly to a distance approximately one-half way across the tube. These two deflectors 40 and 4|! extend along diametrically opposite sides of the cylindrical passage that is provided axially of the tube and the flange 40 at the top is opposite the deflectors 36'-31' while flange 40' is at the bottom opposite the deflectors 36-31.

Slidably mounted for adjustment within the blast tube, and in a direction longitudinally of the oil delivery tube l1 and electrodes 23-24, is a damper plate 45 to which an adjusting rod 46 a set position by a set screw 48 threaded through the housing wall and arranged to be tightened against rod 46.

Assuming that the various parts are constructed and assembled as described, the operation of the device is as follows:

With the air blast fan1 in operation, air is intaken through the open side of the housing and is delivered forcibly through the spout 5 and into the blast tube 6 through its cylindrical mounting end 30. On entering the enlarged portion 34 of the blast tube, the air is delivered directly against the damper plate 4.5 and is de flected laterally in opposite directions. The air then moves forwardly at opposite sides of the housing and contacts with the deflectors 36 and 36'; the deflector 35, as shown in Figure 4, causing a part of the air current to be deflected upwardly and the deflector 36 causing a part of it to be deflected downwardly. As the air streams pass across these deflectors toward the forward end of the tube they swirl toward the upper and lower sides of the housing. Then the divided air streams are likewise deflected by contact with the deflectors 31 and 31. On passing the deflectors 36--31 the current of air at that side swirls upwardly; at the opposite side the air current swirls downwardly. Then they are deflected directly across the housing and this action creates a'whirling condition within the tube, the whirl being in the direction of the arrows, as seen in Fig. 4. To facilitate the whirlin'g motion given the mass of air, the longitudinal deflectors 40 and 46' havebeen provided, one extending downwardly from the top'and the other extending upwardly from the bottom of the tube. Air passing over the deflectors 36 and 31 is stopped by the deflector 40 and the adjacent side wall of the tube, and'can then only move downwardly and across the bottom of the tube, where it comes in contact with the deflector 40' and is directed upwardly. Likewise, the air that has passed beneath the deflectors 36 and 31' is stopped by the deflector 40 and the adjacent side wall of the tube, and is caused to flow upwardly and across the top of the housing, thus meeting the currents of air from the opposite side and causing a whirl axially of the tube. This whirl of air moves for wardly and out of the discharge opening 31.

With the damper plate 45 adjusted to its forward limit of travel, that is, in alignment with the flanges 36 and 36', the direct flo of air through the tube from the fan is shut oi fx therefore all of the air will be deflected laterally by this plate and delivered in two streams into the enlarged body portion of the tube to cause the entire mass to move in a whirling blast forwardly, thus themaximum spread of the conical jet of air coming through the opening 31 will be provided. If the plate 45 is adjusted rearwardly this permits a blast of air to move directly along the axis of the tube, as is indicated in Fig. 1. Thus the volume of air delivered into the lateral portions to create the whirling mass will be lessened and the whirling action is retarded. Therefore the spread of the conical jet passing from the discharge nozzle 35 will be reduced to a lesser angle.

It has been demonstrated that by permitting more or less air to pass through the axial portion of the tube by the rearward or forward adjustment of the plate 45, the spread of the conical jet may be very definitely regulated to suit requirements or desired conditions.

By reference to Figures 2 and 5, it will be observed that a recess 60' has been cut on one side of the nozzle 35. This is to permit a lateral de livery of a part of the fuel charge, and this recess is so located that this lateralblast is delivered into the base of the fire box so as to provide for complete combustion and burning of fuel in a place where it usually does not occur by reason of rising air currents.

While I have illustrated and described a device in which the air stream is divided into two separate streams delivered forwardly along opposite side walls of the blast tube, it is not intended that the construction be limited only to two streams,

since it is desirable to employ. devices for dividing the blast into three or more streams and to ar-- range the bafiles in a manner suitable to deflect these several streams laterally to produce the axially whirling blast from the nozzle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an oil burner, a horizontally disposed air blast tube provided with a discharge nozzle at one end and having an inlet at its opposite end for receiving a stream of air under pressureaxially thereinto, a plurality of pairs of transversely directed deflectors arranged within the tube at pposite sides thereof at spaced intervals therealong and the deflectors of each pair extending part way across the tube from its upper and lower walls, respectively, a damper plate disposed within the tube directly in line with the incoming air stream to divide the latter into lateral streams that will pass forwardly along the opposite side walls of the tube and across the said transversely directed deflectors and thereby caused to flow along the top and bottom sides of the tube, and a pair of deflectors extending longitudinally of the tube and curved about its axial line to receive the transversely moving air currents there-against to effect an axially whirling action of the air stream as delivered into the nozzle.

2. A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending pair of deflectors define an open passage axially within the tube leading' to the nozzle and wherein the damper plate is movable from and toward the inner end of this passage to control the flow of air through the axial passage.

the tube against which the incoming air stream .is

directed and whereby it is divided into streams diverted to opposite sides of the tube and then forwardly across the transverse deflectors for deflection laterally of the tube, longitudinally directed baflles extending lengthwise of the tube at opposite sides of the axial line from its upper and lower walls, respectively, whereby the laterally flowing air streams are caused to be transversely directed at the nozzle mouth at opposite sides of the axial line to create a whirling blast as delivered from the nozzle.

.4. An air blast tube for oil burners or the like, having a discharge nozzle at one end and having, at its opposite end, an axial opening for receiving air under pressure, a baffle plate fixed in the tube in the path of the incoming air stream and extending partially across the tube whereby said stream is divided into streams diverted laterally to flow toward the nozzle end along opposite side walls of the tube, longitudinal deflectors extending into the tube from opposite walls along the nozzle end portion and offset from each other in the transverse direction of the tube, and a plurality of transversely directed deflectors at oppo site sides of the tube and extending thereinto, respectively, from upper and lower walls, thus to coact with the longitudinal deflectors to divert air from the forwardly flowing streams transversely of the tube across its nozzle end, and in opposite directions at opposite sides of the axis of the tube. 5. An air blast tube for oil burners, or the like, having a discharge nozzle at one end, and having at its opposite end an axial opening for receiving air under pressure, a bafile plate in the tube in the path of the incoming air stream and extending partially across the tube whereby said stream is divided into streams diverted laterally to flow toward the nozzle and along opposite side walls of the tube, longitudinal deflectors extending into the tube from opposite walls along the nozzle end portion and offset from each other in the transverse direction of the tube, and a plurality of transversely directed deflectors at opposite sides of the tube and extending thereinto, respectively, from upper and lower walls, thus to coact with the longitudinal deflectors to divert air from the forwardly flowing streams transversely of the tube across its nozzle end and in opposite directions at the opposite sides of the axis of the tube; said baflle plate being movable in the longitudinal direction of the tube into and-from alinement with the deflectors at opposite sides thereof.

- WILLIAM W. HALL'LNAN. 

